There are no happy endings, he knew, because nothing ends; and if there were any being dispensed, a great many worthier people would be in line for them long before Michael and Laura and himself. But the happiness of the unworthy and the happiness of the so-so is as fragile and self-centered and dear as the happiness of the righteous and the worthy; and the happiness of the living is no less short and desperate and forgotten than the joys of the dead.
In Peter S. Beagle's "A Fine and Private Place," the narrative explores the complexity of happiness, suggesting that it is transient and elusive for everyone, regardless of morality or virtue. The characters wrestle with the notion that happy endings are a myth since life is a continuous cycle without true conclusions. The author implies that many individuals, deemed more deserving, might seek happiness, yet the nature of happiness itself is fragile and often self-focused.
Furthermore, Beagle indicates that the joys experienced by the living, similar to those of the deceased, are often fleeting and can easily fade into oblivion. This reflection highlights the shared human experience of longing for happiness and the inherent struggles to attain it. Ultimately, happiness, whether for the worthy or unworthy, reveals itself to be equally precious and vulnerable in the grand tapestry of life.
